Song of the Day: Craft Spells – Party Talk

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Each and every Friday we offer songs by local artists. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Afternoon Show Host Kevin Cole, is “Party Talk” by Craft Spells from their album Idle Labor available from Captured Tunes.

The recent indie folk revival that has a strong foundation in Seattle and Brooklyn has many folks wondering how nostalgia can impact any given music scene or genre, especially if the current champions were not a part of the original scene. Does their love and passion for a genre qualify as nostalgia when they are reinterpreting it for today’s musical ears?

And it’s not just folk music that’s getting a fresh take these days. Chillwave artists Craft Spells are part of a “glo-fi” revolution that’s looking fondly back on 80’s New Wave synth pop and marrying it with dreamy shoegaze elements a la Neon Indian and even Seattle’s own Hotels. Craft Spells’ brainchild Justin Vallesteros, was most recently living in Stockton, CA, where he recorded much of Idle Labor in his bedroom. He initially wasn’t striving to be the next Chillwave poster child. It started as some experimentations with jangly guitars laced with synthy melodies that became songs released as singles by New York-based label Captured Tracks (who are known for favoring trendy lo-fi, post-punk, pop-infused, aka super hip bands). On today’s song “Party Talk,” Vallesteros’ Ian Curtisian baritone is perfectly layered over bubbly electro-melodies that just might inspire some nostalgia of your own for sunny days or late night sweaty dance floors.

Craft Spells are wrapping up a North American tour with label mates Beach Fossils that includes a stop at Chop Suey on May 7th. Also on the bill is Modern Athletics. More info and dates on their Myspace page. In the meantime, here’s a video for their recent single, ”After the Moment”: